Marketing Your Job Skills - Illinois

State of Illinois Department of Employment Security

Marketing Your Job Skills

Marketing Your Job Skills 1

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Self-Appraisal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Preparing a Resume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Suggested Outline for Your Resume. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Resume Samples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Cover Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Planning Your Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Sources for Job Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 The Job Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 After the Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Accessing the Illinois Department of Employment Security . . . . . . . . . . 17

Introduction

You want work, and you feel that somewhere an employer has precisely the position you want - one that fully utilizes your knowledge, skills and interests, and provides challenge and opportunities for advancement. To find that position, you need to carry out a well-planned work search. You have a product to sell ? your knowledge, skills, experience and enthusiasm. What you need to know is how to market them most effectively. Whether you are just out of school and ready to start your career, or looking for a new position after 20 years of work experience, the techniques presented in this pamphlet may help you. It offers suggestions on:

? Where you can find out more about the kinds of positions you are qualified to

hold

? How to present your skills and experience in a resume that will convince an

employer that you are worth interviewing

? How to write a letter of application that attracts an employer's interest ? Where to go for information on job opportunities in your field ? How to present your qualifications to the best advantage in a job interview

Marketing Your Job Skills offers tips on planning your time, taking tests and profiting from job interviews.

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Self-Appraisal

The first step in marketing yourself is to determine your skills. You need a detailed inventory of your background and experience so that you will know exactly what assets you have to offer an employer.

No matter what type of position you seek, your inventory will be a basic tool in your search. If you are marketing your skills for a professional or office position, the inventory will help you prepare your resume. If you are looking for work in a skilled trade or other field in which resumes are not expected, your inventory will help you decide how to present your skills and experience in a job interview.

To prepare your self-inventory, follow the outline below. Write down all the data you think might help you in your job search. Later, you can weed out the list and select the assets that are relevant to the position you seek.

Work History List all of your work, including part-time, summer and freelance work. For each job, give the name and address of the employer, your job title, the details of your duties and the dates you were employed. Then ask yourself:

? What did I like about each job? Why? ? What did I dislike about each job? Why? ? Why did I leave?

Skills and Abilities Ask yourself: What personal qualities do I have that make me good at certain types of work? Think back over your job experience, school and volunteer activities and try to be honest with yourself. Some examples of skills and abilities include: initiating, imagining, leading, organizing, following orders and working well with others. Which of your skills can be transferred to another position (for example, operation of a machine or office equipment or blueprint reading)?

Education List the academic schools you attended, with dates, principal courses you took and the degrees you received.

Then list any business, vocational, military, on-the-job training or special courses you took, with dates and any certificates you received.

Then ask yourself:

? What courses or training did I like best and why? ? What courses or training did I dislike and why?

Now list your scholarships or honors and your extracurricular activities.

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If you are a recent graduate, your non-credit activities may constitute a significant part of your job qualifications (for example, work on the school newspaper or campus radio station). Even if they are not directly related to a job, they may help you identify your best talents and interests. For example, do you enjoy sports, recreation and outdoor activities? Did you excel on the debate team? Are you good at organizing a group to do a job?

Interests, Skills and Aptitudes Ask yourself: What are my hobbies or volunteer activities? What are my special talents or aptitudes? For example, can I fix a car, play a musical instrument or speak another language? Am I good at drawing or painting? What do I learn most easily? How can I relate my talents and interests to a job?

? Does my physical condition limit me in any way? ? Is it necessary for me to change my field of work? ? How long can I afford to be out of work?

Career Goal What kind of work do I want to do five or 10 years from now? What kind of position should I seek now in order to prepare for my goal?

Jobs I Want Considering all the information in your inventory, list the types of jobs you feel you are best qualified for and want. List them in order of preference. If you have completed your inventory, you are ready for the next step ? either preparing your resume or selecting your sources of job information. Perhaps you have considered all the factors in your background and still are not ready to answer the key question: What kind of position do I want? You may be just out of school or military service. Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) offices and Illinois workNet Centers located throughout the state have staff available to assist you. You may have decided that you are on the wrong track vocationally and want to switch to a new field. Perhaps you have been out of the labor force for years because of family responsibilities.

You can learn more about different types of occupations ? the wages paid, the working environment, the education required and general descriptions of the duties and skills involved - through the Illinois Career Resource Network Web site icrn.htm or by going into the IDES office nearest you.

Once you have decided on your job goal, IDES can give you other assistance, such as introducing you to , our internet-based job search tool that features current job openings. Illinois JobLink searches for open jobs by job category. Both statewide and nationwide job banks are included. You can set up searches so that you are notified when a position is posted that matches your search criteria.

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